Arrested MQM-London leaders to be detained for 30 days, moved to central jail

KARACHI: A notification of detention was issued on Sunday after police lodged a case against the arrested members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London Rabita Committee and moved them to Karachi's central prison, officials said.

According to the notification, the concerned members have been detained for 30 days under maintenance of public order by the Interior Ministry.

The case was lodged with Artillery Maidan police, in which MQM London leaders - Hassan Zafar Arif, Kunwar Khalid Younus and Amjadullah - were booked on charges of instigating masses to violence and over slogans against the country.

They were shifted to Karachi Central Jail under stringent security late this night. Police officials said the three leaders were moved in view of potent threats to law and order in the megapolis.

Arrest of MQM-London interim Rabita Committee members

Earlier on Saturday, Rangers took MQM-London interim Rabita Committee members, Professor Hasan Zafar Arif, Kunwar Khalid Younus and Amjadullah Khan, into custody from outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC).

Amjadullah Khan was the third MQM-London worker to be taken into custody after he hid inside the Karachi Press Club while Rangers took Hasan Zafar Arif and Kunwar Khalid Younus into custody earlier.

In a message posted on Twitter, MQM-London leader Wasay Jalil said "Amjadullah presented himself to Rangers to arrest from Karachi Press Club".

Amjadullah was earlier able to dodge Rangers personnel and enter the Karachi Press Club. He was taken into custody as he came out of the building, more than three hours after Professor Hasan Zafar Arif and Kunwar Khalid Younus were detained.

According to reports, Professor Hasan was sitting on a motorcycle was trying to enter the Press Club when he was approached by Rangers and taken into custody. Video footage showed Rangers escorting the MQM leader and placing him in a mobile outside the KPC.

Latest video footage showed Amjadullah being escorted away by law enforcers as he came out of the press club.

The MQM-London interim Rabita Committee members were scheduled to hold a news conference at the KPC which was postponed. A large contingent of Rangers was deployed outside the KPC ahead of the MQM-London Rabita Committee news conference. 

Speaking to Geo News earlier, Amjadullah Khan said the purpose of the news conference was to announce the inclusion of new members.

The MQM-London leader stressed that the party was being pressurised. "It is our basic right to conduct political activities in the city. By doing this the Mohajir community is being persecuted," Amjudullah Khan said.

While speaking to Geo News earlier, the MQM-London leader said he had left the Karachi Press Club. But it later transpired that he was hiding inside the Press Club.

MQM-London calls for immediate release of leaders

In a statement from London, senior party leader Nadeem Nusrat called for the immediate release of the two. 

"This series of arrests of MQM workers should be stopped. Hasan Zafar Arif and Kunwar Khalid Younis should be immediately released," he said.   

'A positive step'

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Ismail said it was a positive step that MQM-London leaders had been taken into custody.

The PTI leader added that MQM should not be allowed to carry out political activities in Pakistan.

MQM-London Rabita Committee dismisses minus-one formula 

Earlier this month, MQM-London announced formation of a 12-member interim Rabita Committee comprising Nadeem Ehsaan, Wasay Jalil, Mustafa Azizabadi, Professor Hassan Zafar Arif, Ishaq Advocate, Amjadullah Khan, Kunwar Khalid Younus, Ashraf Noor, Akram Rajpoot, Ismail Sitara, Idrees Alvi Advocate and Momin Khan Momin.

On October 15, during a MQM-London interim Rabita Committee news conference, a large contingent of Rangers was deployed outside the KPC. The news conference was held in which the minus-one formula was rejected. MQM-London leaders also dismissed the MQM-Pakistan, saying there was no such party.

“MQM is one and will remain as one. Designs to break the party will not be successful,” Professor Hasan had said on the occasion.